Playstation: available March 2000
Interactive Entertainment are currently developing a game featuring a full
go-kart simulation of the Karting Grand Prix Championship for the PC and Sony
Playstation. The game will include accurately modelled 3D replicas of all of the
international circuits and go-karts used throughout the Karting GP season and
the player will have a choice of different class karts in which to race. In
addition to the eleven circuits, there will be a bonus, full GP circuit to race.
The players will have to work their way through the various classes earning a
racing license for the next kart class, with the goal being to reach the GP
circuit and win using a 150 mph kart.
To improve the overall appeal of the product, there is a separate, stripped down
ARCADE mode as well as the full simulation. This feature will enable the player
to race a far more simplistic handling model in single events or an arcade
championship without having access to any of the simulation setup options of the
kart model. Upon selection of an ARCADE championship, the player will start at
the lowest class and have to progress through each class in turn by performing
well in the individual races until the most powerful karts are then made
available.
The game options offered while in simulation mode include Practice Session,
Weekend Grand Prix Event, Championship Season and Endurance Events. The Practice
Session will allow the user to access any track and race with unlimited laps to
gain valuable knowledge of the track. The Weekend Grand Prix Event lets a player
race against up to 24 computer controlled opponents through practice, qualifying
and racing sessions over all the available tracks. The Championship Season will
feature all of the tracks raced in season order and upon completion of the
season the number of points awarded will determine whether the player is
eligible to move onto the more powerful karts.
The kart models themselves will be highly detailed representations of all the
different kart designs used throughout Karting GP (twin engine 4 stroke, Karting
1 and Karting 4). The driver models themselves will have detailed texturing and
will be animated with motion capture data for such movements as leaning, bumping
and crashing. Karts will sustain damage, which will be represented visually,
along with tyres collecting debris from off road surfaces. Also karts will smoke
their tyres and engines, leave oil/petrol on the racing surface and occasionally
catch fire in extreme crashes. The game will offer genuine kart sounds and
realistic 3D rain effects and lens flares in order to recreate the dramatic
environment of race day. Also the designers have included as may aspects of the
kart?s handling attributes as are integral to game-play, so as to offer the
player the full on 'thrills and spills' racing experience of karting at the
highest level.
Two players will be able to play in split screen mode, with up to eight players
in a link-up game.
With the technical assistance of professionals and officials from the Karting GP
season, this game is sure to bring the most detailed karting simulation yet into
the home games market.
Available versions: English, Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish and
Portuguese
www.gamesarena.com
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Sebastien Tixier - Game Developer